Car coupler



Au 7, I928.

' D. ROBINSON ETAL CAR COUPLER Filed Aug. 5, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet l w Elbtoame aa w D. ROBINSON ET AL Aug. 7, 1928.

CAR COUPLER Filed Aug. 5, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2'.

Dal/id 1305'izzs and Russell I Hi Aug. 7, 1928.

D. ROBINSON ET AL GAR COUPLER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 5, 1926 I avwentom son and lmitm'er 85 will 61mm,

pal/16112065; Russell Aug. 7, 192a.

1,680,116 D. ROBINSON El AL 0A3 COUPLER Filed Aug-' 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 j avwentoz Dauid .ROblItSOIZ and Russell J. IYittmer qjhei (litmus Patented Aug; 7,1928.

DAVID ROBiNsoN, or CLEVELAND, AND ossntr J. WITTMER, or EAST cLRvRLAND, OHIO, AssIcNoRsjrO NATIONALMALLEABLE AND STEEL onsrnvcs COMPANY, or .oLEvELANn, HIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

' oAR COUPLER.

Application filed August 5, 1926. Serial No. 127,230.

Fig. lis a side elevation of acar coupler is likewisea side elevation of the coupler, but with the lock in lock-set position; Fig.

4 is a plan with the lock in lock-set posi' tion and showingin outline an intercoupled coupler of like character; Fig. 5 is likewise an elevation, but showing the look about to return from lock+set to lowermost position; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the lockand the operating mechanism; Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevationof. the lock-set piece; and Fig. 8 is a front elevation thereof.

Our invention relates to a car couplerof the rigid jawed typ'eshown in Letters Patent No. 1,201,665 ofJohn Willison, dated October 17 1916, and comprises novel means.

for lock-setting the lock. 'Ourinvention also comprises various features which we shall here nafter descrlbe and claim.-

Referring to the drawings, the-coupler head 2 has the usual buffing jaw 3, pulling jaw 4, and a cavity 5 extending rearwardly from the bufiing and guiding face 6 into the body of the coupler head. Within the cavity 5 are the operating parts, which comprise the lock 7, the operating lever 13, and

the lock-set piece '9.

In assembling. the coupler the lock-set piece 9 is first inserted intothe cavity 5, and the elongated'eye "lOofthe piece is passed over the transversely extending pin 11, which is preferably integral with the con- 7 plei' head in the upper central portion thereof. Next, the lock throw or operating lever 8'isplaced within. the bottom cavity 12 of the-lock with its trunnion 13 in "the elongated transversely extending slot 14: of the lock 7 and. lock and lever are inserted into the cavity 5 with the lower arm 8 of the lever -8 extending down through a slot in the bottom of the ,coupler head. The lock is. held in position in the cavity 5 by its shoulder 15 and the lug 15 which engage respectively the stops 16 and 16 and limit the outward extent of its movement.

During the coupling Operation, as the lock 7 is driven back by the impact of an opposing coupler the rear end. ofthe armB of the lever 8 strikes the projection 17, in

the manner shown in Fig.2. This prelimi- .The rearward and upward movement of the lock in its cavity causes the lock shoulder 20 to come into contact with the projection 9 of the lock-set piece; 9 and thereby lift the piece vertically. When the lock has been pulled clear back so that its shoulder 20 has passed under and is disengaged from the projection '9? and that projection has dropped into the recess 21 of the lock, the

lock willlbe held in lock-set position by the piece 9. The piece 9is held from rotating out of the way ofthe lock 8 either by the lock '7 or by a portion of the opposing coupler, as is shown in Fig. 4, When the cou-' plers are pulled apart the lock-set piece 9 by reason of the pressure of; the lock on the projection 9 rotates forwardly until the projection 9 has freed itself from the recess 21 in the lock, as is shown in Fig. 5, and thereupon the lock may drop down intonormal or lowermost position, and the lock-set piece 9-will then swing back to its normal position in the head, as is shownin Figll. In the event t-hatthe coupler has been accidentally lock-set a brakeman may through the slot in the bottom of the coupler head press upwardly upon the downwardlyand rearwardly extending projection 9 and thus release the piece 9 from engagement with the recess 21 in the lock, thereby allowing the lock to fall to normal position.

Our improved coupler is particularly eflicient in operation bothin switching and impact coupling, and in the provision which prevents the look from being accidentally thrown into lock-set position. Impact couplings on fifteen ton cars equipped with couplers embodying our inventlon have been made satisfactorily up to twelve miles per hour without damaging the couplers and with satisfaction from an operative standpoint. V

The terms and expressions which we have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and we have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any mechanical equivalents of the features shown. and described, or portions thereof, but recognize that various structural 'modifications are possible in'elevated position for lock-setting.

2. In a rigid jawed coupler head having a lock adapted to reciprocate in a cavity thereof lock actuating means; a lock-setting mechanism pivoted in the cavity engaging "the lock and suspending it in elevated position for lock-setting.

3. In a rigid jawed coupler head having a lock adapted to reciprocate in a cavity thereof; lock actuating means; a lock setting member pivotally mounted in the coupler head adapted to have a projection'and recess engagement with'the look when actuated by the lock actuating means; and gravity actuatedlmeans for causing theilock to return from lock-set to lowermost or locked position.

4. In a rigid jawed coupler head having a lock adapted to reclprocate in acavity thereof; look; actuating means; a lock-setting" member suspended in the cavity and arranged to support thelockin elevated po- SltlOIl; and means accessible from without the coupler to disengage said lock-setting member from the look without the withdrawal of the opposing coupler head.

5. In a rigid jawed coupler head having a lock'adapted to reciprocate in a cavity.

there'of;'a lock and a lock-setting member Within the coupler head, said lock-setting member being arranged to support the lock in elevated position and adapted to be "directly operated fromwithout the=coupler I i and therebyremov'ed from its lock-supportby the head of'an opposing coupler.

ing position while the coupler is engaged 6. In a rigid jawed coupler head having a lockadapted to reciprocate in a cavity thereof; lock actuating setting mechanism 'thecavity and'through the front opening means; and a lockpivoted and operating in thereof, engaging the lock and suspending it inelevated pos1t1on for lock-setting,

-head.- r i 9. In a rigid jawed coupler head 1having a lock adapted'to' reciprocate in acavity' r 7. In rigid jawed coupler'head having a lock adapted toreciprocate ina cavity thereof; lock actuating means; and a looksetting mechanism:- pivoted andfoperating the cavity and through the-front open ng thereof the said mechanism being'adapted to be lifted by said lock'into, operative en-.

gageincnt with said lock uponactuationfof theioc'l: by the actuating means and by such engagement to support'the lock in elevated position for lock-setting,

8. In a rigid jawed couplerheadhaving 'a lock adapted:to-ireciprocate in a cavity thereof; lock actuating means and a locksetting mechanism suspended in the cav1ty having two depending portions, oneqportion engaging the lock to support it, the other portion being engaged 'whe'n in lock-set-position by aportion of'theppposing coupler thereof; lockactuating; eans, and a longi-:

tudinallyextending lock-setting mechanism pivoted in a cavity, the rear endof the mechanism having a slot and projection en-L gagement with an upper portion of the'locktosupport-it, and the forward portion of said mechanism being engaged onlywhen in lock-set position by a portion of the opposing couplerhead. i r

'10. In a'rigid jawed coupler headhaving a lock adapted. to reciprocatejin' a lcavity thereof; lock actuating meansylarid a-ilock' V setting mechanism mountedi'within said cavity adaptedto engage andsuspend the lock in elevated position for the: lock setting, said mechanism being eflectivezonly upon actua-- tion by thGlOCk and being incontact with tive engagement with thelock;

the opposing coupler head only upon opera;

11. In a rigid jawed coupler head having a lockadapted to'reci thereof; lo'c-kfactuating means; and lock. setting mechanism-mounted within said cavity and having a portion normally lying in the path of movement" of a part. of said lock, said lock-setting mechanismbeingactuatedby' said lock to 1 support said v lock in lock-set position andhaving a projection procate in 'a cavity extending into the forwardopening of said cavity for contactwithlan opposing coupler.

-12.In a rigidjawed coupler head having a longitudinally extending cavity between such jaws; 'alock adapted toreci'procateiin the said cavity; and-lock actuatingimeans carried by the lock and servin movement of the'lockunder buff;

13. In a rigid jaweducoupler head having l a .lock adapted to reciprocategin-a' cavity thereof to assume aprojected'locking posi-i' tion and av retracted unlockingpos'ition a g mama-the 1 movable stop'carried by thelock'to-prevent 1 i the look from being driven to its; retraeted unlocking pos1t1on under 1mpact'couplingif;

14. In a rigid jawed coupler head having look-setting member being held in position a lock adapted to reciprocate 1n a cavity to support the lock in look-set position thereof; lock actuating means; and a lockand being engaged by the said opposing 10 setting'mechanism pivoted andoperating in coupler only While in look-set position. 5 the cavity and through the front opening.

thereof, engaging the lock and suspending it DAVID ROBINSON. in elevated position for lock-setting, said RUSSELL, J. WITTMER. 

